“Ensure both aircraft are heading in the right direction”

True, Jon could make things very challenging by flying the other way 😀

It is interesting to comapre the earlier shots (Vampire following)which was through the cleanest bit of perspex available and the later ones which are through an open cockpit window, such as the one with the close up top surfaces. An obvious problem was avoiding the curved edges of the cabin windows that cause horrible distortion and avoid reflections from other cabin windows, some have curtains, some don’t. Repeating the flight, some dark paper and tape would be useful to blank out the rearmost cabin window (opposite the rear door) whose reflection spoilt a few good ones!

Is air-to-air any harder than ground-to-air? other than obtaining an aircraft as a camera ship.

In all honesty it is easier, rather that scooting past at some silly speed the aircraft gradually draws nearer to you and parks itself a few yards from your lens, which is very helpful!

Finding a camera ship is no bother sat next to a willing pilot faced with the choice of an afternoon doing admin. stuff or an afternoon playing with the Pembroke.

Hey up….

“some say he lives in a balsa wood nest and has an irrational fear of badgers..

we only know him as our tame Vampire pilot, FL200″

(I think I have been watching too much Top Gear 😀 )

In contrast with normal air to airs, which make a point of showing the aircraft off as well as possible, these more distant ones are interesting in that they show the disruptive camoflauge working to varying degrees…

…Notice in one that the green stripe over the wing root and engine nicely lines up with a hedge of appropriate greenness and thickness below, clever chaps these pilots 😀